The route begins at an interchange with SR 99 in eastern Stockton. SR 26 then exits Stockton after crossing a canal and heads eastward. After crossing Jack Tone Road, the direction of the highway turns slightly more northeasterly. The road then briefly enters the city of Linden, before intersecting Escalon-Bellota Road. Following another intersection with Jenny Lind Road, the route enters the city of Rancho Calaveras. It turns slightly more northeastward as it passes through the area. The highway passes by the New Hogan Lake before entering Valley Springs. Here, the route makes an abrupt right turn onto SR 12. The route run concurrent and turn back northeastward as they exit Valley Springs. Shortly after exiting the city limit, SR 26 veers away from SR 12 and heads north. East of Paloma, the roadway meets Paloma Road and again turns northeastward. At Mokelumne Hill, the route intersects SR 49, taking a slightly more winded path. SR 26 enters and exits the city of West Point before making an extremely long hairpin turn. Heading westward, the route enters Amador County to its terminus at SR 88.[2]
Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary (for a full list of prefixes, see California postmile § Official postmile definitions).[1] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
^ abcCalifornia Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original(XLS file) on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
^"Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
^Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: Stockton, CA(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
^Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
SR 99 near Stockton
SR 88 near Pioneer
